Toy rocket



April 20, 1954 R. M. COLEMAN ET AL TOY ROCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1952 3 0 mnm mmo o 0 M .H M mm R n W n5 INVENTORS April 20, 1954 R. M. COLEMAN ET AL TOY ROCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1952 Fig.6.

Rah Coleman John R. Bal/enfjne William H. M 01/! INVENTORS BY and cated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED! OFFlCE IfiOYnooKET Ralph M; Coleman; John 'R. Ballentine, and" -Wil1iam H.'McDill; ElPaso, Tex. aprlifatiii'Ahrifili, 1952,;sea1..nt., 2ga;s22

1 This invention relates'to a rocket and particularly to a toy sim ulating a rocket and having a catapult projecting the rocket into flight together withsimulated propulsion and bursting charges. The present invention relates to that class of toys simulating war-type r ooketslin which the rocket is propelled or started in motionby means of a catapult and if desired may be continued in flight by means of a propeller charge and which carries a parachute which may be released by the change in direction of fiight so that the rocket maybe recovered and reused repeatedly. The rocket is also provided withsimulated war heads which carry a charge of dust producing powder which simulates the exploding of the rocket at the instant of reversal of direction of'fiight.

The invention iscarried out by means of a rocket-like body having a propulsion chamber and a parachute releasing device mounted'therein together with" directing fins and a war-head or heads mounted exteriorly of the body and adjacent the base thereof. The launching rocket is provided with a guide track or tube over which the rocket is propelled by means of a compression spring device which may be cocked by means of a cocking lever and controlled by means of a seat and trigger mounted in the frame.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a toy rocket.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy rocket having a parachute for lowering the same after firing.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rocket having a parachute release operated by a'mass responsive to direction of motion of the rocket.

It is a further obj ect of the invention to provide a rocket having a parachute release depending upon the orientation of the rocket in flight.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rocket having a war-head mounted adjacent the base thereof. g v

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily ap parent from the following detailedldescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: I y 1 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through a rocket in firing position; v

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the rocket in descending position;

Figure 3 is a cross section of the launching catapult taken substantially upon the plane indi- 4 Claims. (01.46-86) Figure a: front elevation of the launching catapult; t Figure 51s an elevation of the launching uiqfi; Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the cocking mechanism taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line '66 of Figure lfand Figure '7 is a detailed view of the parab e ute release takensubs't'antially on the plane indicated by the line '!'1 of Figural, u I

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention a substantially tubular body ill is provided with an ogivenose l2 and'has an opal 1' aft'er portion [4. A pluralityof stabilizihg finsl are attached to the rear portion of the'bo dylll andpreferably are of outwardly divergingiorm and'of radial p NH. I .V v. The body IO'i's provided intermediate the ends thereof with a transverse partition l8 dividing the body l8 into a forward chamber and rear chamber 22/ A tubular combustion chamber 2 3 is rigidly attachedto the partition I8 and extends axially toward the rear of the body and has an exhaust or "driving nozzle 2 6 substantially on the plane of the rear It of the body [0.

When the rocket is to be substantially propelled only by the catapult, the chamber 24 may be provided with'a' slow burning fuel such as gun powder or corditeto produce a'lot of fumes, smoke and noise to simulate the drive of a rocket but, when a prop-ulsicncharge is to be used for actually lifting the rocket'a more intense and faster burning fuel will be utilized. Obviously, the chamber 20 maybe used to store a fluid fuel under pressure or, the chamber 20 may be used to receive and protect a plurality of expansible rubber-like bags which may contain any liquid or other fluid fuel.

A parachute is used to lower the rocket after it has been fired and is preferably stored or packed'adj acent the rear opening M of the rocket. The release and control mechanism for the para- .chute 30 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 32 mounted on the tubular chamber 2 3 and slidable therealong. Preferably a' pressure plate 34 is secured on the front end of the sleeve 32 and a spring 36 is received between the plate 34 and the partition l8. Obviously, the spring will tend to resiliently, yieldably urge the sleeve 32 rearwardly along the combustion chamber 34. A plate 38 is attached to the rearward end of the sleeve 32 and it preferably substantially fills the space between the combustion chamber 24 and the body It]. The plate 38 is provided with a plurality of apertures 40 in which are secured the shroud lines 42 of the parachute 30, The pa achute 30 and the shroud lines 42 are packed on the plate 38 and are retained in the rear portion of the body I by means of a resilient washer 44. Preferably the Washer 44 is readily pliable and is of only sufficient size to readily retain the parachute 30 on the plate 38.

An inertia lock for the tube 32 comprises a ring 50 which freely embraces and is slidable on the tube 32. The ring 50 is provided with stub axles 52 and 54 which extend radially from diametrically opposite sides of the ring 50. The outer ends of the stub axles 52 and 54 are mounted in bearing bosses 56 and 58 on the inner surface of the body I0. Weights .60 and .62 are mounted at the ends of arms 64 and '66 which are rigidly connected to the arms 52 and 54 respectively and extend substantially in the plane of the ring 50. The sleeve 32 is preferably provided with oppositely disposed grooves 68 and I0 so that when the rocket is in upright position with the nose I2 upward the weights 60 and 62 will bias the ring 50 into engaging relation with the notches 68' and III. A trip rod I2 provided with a stop head I4 is connected to the ring 50 at a point transverse to the axles 52 and '54 and preferably extends longitudinally within the rocket and has mounted thereon a sliding weight I6. The weight I6 being operative when the rocket reverses its position so the nose I2 is downward to slide along the rod I2 and strike the head I4 to remove the ring 50 from the notches 68 and I0 and release the sleeve 32 for longitudinal motion on the chamber 24.

War-heads 80 are mounted in adjacent the base of the body I0 and preferably comprise outwardly diverging chambers having a forward opening 82 and a rear aperture 84. The warheads 80 are preferably filled with some sort of smoke producing powder such as talcum or other light powder which, when the rocket reverses its direction of flight, same will be poured from the opening 82 to simulate an explosion in mid-air.

The rocket is launched from a catapult comprising a frame I00 having a guide tube or track I02 mounted thereon. Preferably the frame I60 is provided with an upper platform I04 and a lower platform I66 and a plurality of legs I08 maintaining the platforms I 04 and I06 in suitable spaced relation to each other and also mounting the entire catapult thereon. The track I02 is preferably provided with a substantially annular base III) which is connected to the platform I04. The track I02 is also provided with longitudinally extending slots I [2 adapted to permit the fins I6 to set therein and may also be provided with slots II4 for receiving war-heads 80.

The propulsion part of the catapult comprises a plunger having a cross head I adapted to reciprocate in the track I62 and has rigidly secured thereto an axial pitman I22 to the end of which is secured a head I24 and a scar plate I26. The cross member I28 is mounted in the frame I06 and has a guide rod I30 and a spring base I32 rigidly mounted thereon.

Sear members I 34 and I36 are pivotally mounted on the cross bar I28 and have hook-like ends I38 and I40 engaging the sear plate I26. The scar I36 has an extending end I42 which is pivotally connected to a trigger I44 and the sear I34 is connected to the trigger I44 by means of an actuating member I46 which is pivotally connected to sear I34 at a point I48 above the cross bar I26. So that actuation of the trigger 4 I44 cause the sears I44 and I36 to oscillate about their pivot points in opposite direction.

A cocking lever I50 is pivotally connected to one of the legs I08 by means of a pivot pin I52 and is also provided with a pivot intermediate its length as at I54, the pivots I52 and I54 being transverse to each other. A U-shaped member I56 is secured .on the lever I 54 and is provided with a notch I58 for engaging the pitman I22.

In the operation of the rocket according to the invention the parachute and its shroud lines is packed on the plate 38 and the sleeve 32 moved against the tension of the spring 36 so that the ring 50 .may be shifted into locking position. The war-heads 88 may be filled with any suitable explosion simulating material and if desired the combustion chamber 24 may be provided with any suitable fuel preferably in the form of a capsule which readily fits within the chamber 24. Any suitable means, not shown, may be utilized for igniting the fuel in the chamber 24. The catapult will be cooked by moving the cocking lever I54 laterally in the slot 1-60 so that the slot I58 will embrace the pitman I22 and the U-shaped member I56 will rest on the head I24. The lever I50 will then be depressed in the slot I62 to compress the spring I64 and the trigger rod I44 will be operated to cause the hook-like ends of the sears I34 and I36 to engage on the sear plate I26 and lock the spring in compressed position. The lever I50 will then be moved upward in the slot I62 and outwardly in the slot I60 to release the member from the pitman I22. The rocket will then be placed in the track I02 with the fins I6 in the slots H2 and the war-heads in the slots I14. The trigger I44 will then be actuated to release the scars I34 and I36 and the sear plate I25 so that the plunger will be reciprocated along the track to propel the rocket upwardly from the launching platform. If a propeller other than the spring is also used suitable means will be provided for igniting the charge at the instant of the release of the spring. When the rocket has reached the end of its flight, it will turn over so that the point I2 is downward at which time the weight 16 will slide along the rod 12 and strike the head I4 to violently release the ring 50 from the notches '68 and I0 so that the sleeve '32 will be moved along the combustion chamber 24 by means of the spring 36 so that the parachute 30 will be expelled from the rear I4 of the body I0 so that the parachute may expand and gradually lower the projectile to the ground. The opening of the parachute will provide sufficient impetus to the powder in the war-heads 80 so they will be spilled out of the openings 82 and simulate an explosition of the rocket in air.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a toy rocket having all the methods of simulating the action of a war rocket.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, and described according to the best present understanding thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having described the claimed as new is:

l. A rocket-like device comprising a cylindrical body, an ogive .nose on said body, stabilizing fins mounted adjacent the rear of said body. a partition mounted intermediate the ends of said invention, what is body, a tubular combustion chamber anchored on said partition and extending axially of said body, a sleeve slidably mounted on said combustion chamber, a resilient means biasing said sleeve for longitudinal motion along said combustion chamber, an inertia latch releasably retaining said sleeve in predetermined position on said chamber, an annular plate adjacent the after end of said sleeve, a parachute packed on said plate, shroud lines securing said parachute to said plate, a flexible retaining washer adjacent the after end of said body, said washer yieldingly maintaining said parachute in said body, an actuating rod connected to said latch, a control weight slidably mounted on said rod.

2. A rocket comprising an elongated tubular body, an ogive nose on said body, a transverse partition intermediate the ends thereof a rearwardly extending tubular chamber mounted on said partition, a sleeve s'idably mounted on said chamber, a spring interposed between said partition and said sleeve, a locking ring slidably engaging said sleeve, stub axles secured at opposed points on said ring, said axles being journalled in said body, weights biasing said ring for rotative movement about the axis of said stub axles.

3. A rocket comprising an elongated tubular body, an ogive nose on said body, a transverse partition intermediate the ends thereof a rearwardly extending tubular chamber mounted on said partition, a sleeve slidably mounted on said chamber, a spring interposed between said partition and said sleeve, a locking ring slidably engaging said sleeve, stub axles secured at opposed points on said ring, said axles being journalled in said body, weights biasing said ring for rotative movement about the axis of said stub axles, a trip rod secured to said ring, said trip rod ex tending longitudinally of said body, an actuating weight slidable on said trip rod.

4. A rocket comprising an elongated tubular body, an ogive nose on said body, a transverse partition intermediate the ends thereof, a rearwardly extending tubular chamber mounted on said partition, a sleeve slidably mounted on said chamber, a spring interposed between said partition and said sleeve, a locking ring slidably engaging said sleeve, stub axles secured at opposed points on said ring, said axles being journalled in said body, weights biasing said ring for rotative movement about the axis of said stub axles, a trip rod secured to said ring, said trip rod extending longitudinally of said body, an actuating weight slidable on said trip rod, an annular plate on said sleeve, a parachute secured to said plate, said parachute being packed in the body adjacent the base thereof, said parachute being expelled from said body when said locking ring is tripped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 279,539 Chamberlain June 19, 1883 1,079,200 Wilde Nov. 18, 1913 1,357,927 Clarke Nov. 2, 1920 1,394,551 Hitt Oct. 25, 1921 1,639,602 Gay Aug. 16, 1927 2,017,778 Vido Oct. 15, 1935 2,108,818 Huff Feb. 22, 1938 2,398,391 Orkin Apr. 16, 1946 2,478,224 Armstrong Aug. 9, 1949 2,484,320 Stevens Oct. 11, 1949 2,559,458 Orr July 3, 1951 2,563,969 Skinner Aug. 14, 1951 2,568,475 Vaughan Sept. 18, 1951 2,588,184 Walsh Mar. 4, 1952 2,630,654 Poen Mar. 10, 1953 

